The inauguration of Spice Park at Hamirpur and ESIC medical college at Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh by Union Ministers Anand Sharma and Oscar Fernandes has come under scanner of the Election Commission of India (ECI).
“We will send the report to Election Commission of India (ECI) about the inaugurations of ESIC medical college and Spice Park by Central Ministers and if it is the case of violation of model code of conduct, necessary action will be taken,” Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Himachal Pradesh, Narendra Chauhan said on the sidelines of announcing the poll schedule for the state.
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh along with his Cabinet Ministers and Union Minister for labour and Employment Oscar Fernandes had inaugurated ESIC medical college building at Mandi at the time when election schedules were being announced by chief election commissioner VS Sampath in New Delhi.
Similarly, inauguration of Spice Park, was done at Nadaun of Hamirpur district by Union Commerce Minister Anand Sharma through video conferencing from Delhi and has also come under scanner of Election Commission of India (ECI) for similar reasons.
Giving the details of schedule of general election, CEO Narendra Chauhan said that notification of elections in four constituencies will be done on April 12, nominations will be filed on April 19, scrutiny of names will be done on April 21, nominations could be withdrawn on April 23 and polling will be done in single phase in four parliamentary constituencies on May 7.
Himachal Pradesh has of 47,40,044 voters including 22,98,882 female voters and 65,857 service voters. The state has 59 per cent of voters who are under the age of 39 and first time voters between the ages of 18-19 are 62,133.
Two control rooms will be setup for the general elections, including one for media. There will be 7382 polling booths in the entire State. "We have requested 32 to 35 companies of Central Para-Military Forces (CPMF) for peaceful conduct of elections in the state and chopper and boat services will be used to ferry polling parties for land locked areas Bara Bhangal, Kutheda islands and some tribal areas of lahaul and Spiti," said Chauhan.
He said that model of code of conduct will be enforced strictly in the state and paid news will be monitored by different committees and with the help of software with the election commission of India.